Snow and ice flanger



(N0 MOdGL) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

` C. RUSSELL.

SNOW AND IUE FLANGER.

Patented 00a. 1, 1895.`

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

C. RUSSELL. SNOW AND 10E PLANGER.

No. 547,134. Patented oct. v1, 1895.

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CHARLES RUSSELLYOF MISSOULA, MONTANA.

SNOW AND-ICF. FLANesa.

SECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,134, dated October 1, 1895.

Application filed February 12,1 894. Serial No. 499,931 (No model.)

will enable others skilled in the art to which.

it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in that class of trackclearers known as ice and snow flangers,7 and its novelty will be fully understood from the following description and claims, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis aplan view of a locomotive-truck equipped with my improved ice and snow lianger. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken in the plane indicated by the line a x of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section with parts broken away; and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the liangers or knives and one of the moldboards, together with the adjustable bar carrying the same.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indicates the truck of a locomotive or car, which may be of any suitable construction, and B indicates the main frame of my improved snow and ice Hanger. This frame B may be of any suitable construction; but I prefer in practice to form it of the bars C, which are Iixedly connected to the upper side of the truck, adjacent to the ends thereof, and extend forwardly from the truck and then downwardly and laterally outward, as shown at a, and then rearward, as shown at b, and which have their rearwardly-extending portions b lixedly connected to the under side of the truck; the bar D, which is tixedly connected to the upper side of the truck, midway the length thereof, and extends forwardly and downwardly from the same, as shown at c; the braces CZ, which are connected to the bar D and the upper side of the truck, and the braces e, which are connected to the bar D and the bars C, as shown. t

E indicates twobars which have their inner contiguous ends curved upwardly and pivotally connected to the forward end of the frame-bar D. These bars E diverge rearwardly from the bar D and extend across the track-rails F, and they are designed to carry the moldboards G and the Hangers or knives H. (Bettershownin Fig. et.) The moldboards G are designed and adapted to move the snow off the track and deposit it at the sides of the same, and the Hangers or knives H are adapted to clear the space between the rails, so as to enable the wheel-flanges to engage the inner sides of the heads of the rails and reduce the liability of accident.

The moldboards G are provided on their inner or rear sides with clips J, which loosely receive the portions a of the frame-bars C, so as to permit of the moldboards and the bars E and Hangers H being moved vertically. The m'oldboards G and dangers H are designed to be moved vertically but a slight distance, and as the clips J on the moldboards are in practice made much larger than the portions a of the frame-bars C it will be seen that the said clips will not interfere with free movement of the bars E, Hangers H, and mold boards G, notwithstanding that the bars E are pivotally connected at their forward ends to the framebar D and the moldboards are also provided with the loosely-connected rods K, to which are connected the rods L, which take through guides, as M, on the bars N, and are surrounded by coiled springs P, which tend to press and yieldingly hold the bars E in proper position and thus increase the efficiency ot' the {iangers or knives, the nut on rods L controlling the vertical movement of rod K and flanger G.

In order to automatically raise the bars E and the flangers and moldboards, so as to enable them to pass over switch mechanism and other obstructions between the track-rails, I provide the inclined blocks Q between the track-rails at a suitable distance from the obstructions and equip the bars E with wheels, as R, to engage said blocks, and in order to hold the said bars, moldboards, and flangers or knives in their raised position I provide the mechanism better illustrated in Fig. 3. This mechanism comprises the levers S S', which are mounted on a rock-shaftf between the bars N and are connected at one end to the rods K, the piston-rod T, which is connected by a link with the other end of the lever S and is provided with a beveled enlargement the piston-cylinder V, and the leverjaws W, which are preferably arranged in the piston-cylinder, as shown. These lever-jaws IOO IV are pivotally connected to suitable bearings on the inside of the cylinder V, and their rear ends are connected by links, as g, with a head 7L, loosely mounted on the rod T, and the forward ends of the said lever-jaws are normally pressed inward toward the rod T, so as to hold the enlargement U of said rod by the coiled spring X, which is interposed between the head 7L and a stationary partition in the cylinder, as illustrated. By reason of this construction it will be seen that when the bars E and the moldboards and Hangers are raised by the wheels R engaging the inclined blocks Q, the lever S will be swung in the direction indicated by arrow, and the rod T will be drawn forward, so as to pull the beveled enlargement U from between the forward ends of the lever-jaws W, when the spring X will return the forward ends of the jaws to their normal position, so as to enable them by engaging the enlargement U to prevent rcarward movement of the rod T, and consequentlydownward movement of the bars E, dsc. lVhen it is desired to lower or return the bars E and the moldboards and dangers to their normal position, compressed air, steam, or the like is let into the cylinder V through the portj, so as to act against the piston 7s, which is connected by sleeve k2 with the head 71., and move said piston and head rearwardly and thereby move the forward ends of the jaws IV apart, so as to permit the enlargement U on the rod T to pass said jaws and the springs P to return the moldboards and Hangers to their operative positions.

It will be seen from the foregoing description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, that my improved Hanger is very simple and cheap, and that it may be readily applied to a locomotive-truck and is easily operated and highly efficient in use, which is an important desideratum.

I have specifically described the construction and relative arrangement of the several parts of my improved danger in order to impart a clear and full understanding of the same; but I do not desire to be understood as confining myself to such construction and arrangement, as such changes or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is l. In a track clearer or ice and snow danger, the combination of a main frame, bars E, loosely connected at their forward ends to the main frame and carrying dangers or knives and mold boards, and springs connected with the bars E, and adapted to press and yieldingly hold the same in their operative position, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a track clearer or ico and snow danger, the combination with a frame comprising bars as C, D; of bars E, loosely connected to the frame bar D, and having clips loosely receiving the bars C, and carrying knives or dangers and mold boards, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a track clearer, the combination ot' a locomotive or car truck, a frame rigidly conneeted to the truck, ice Hangers or knives and mold boards connected with the frame and adapted to be raised and lowered, a lever, a rod connecting the flangers and mold boards with the lever, a rod connected to the lever and having an enlargement as U, spring pressed lever jaws adapted to engage the enlargement U, and hold the Hangers and mold boards in a raised position, and a suitable means for opening said jaws, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a track clearer, the combination of a locomotive or car truck, a frame rigidly connected to the truck, ice dangers or knives and mold boards connected with the frame and adapted to be raised, a piston cylinder, a rod T, connected with the dangers or knives and the mold boards and having an enlargement U, spring pressed lever jaws adapted to engage the enlargement U, and hold the dangers and mold boardsin a raised position, and a piston arranged in the piston cylinder and adapted when moved in one direction to open said lever jaws, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES RUSSELL.

Witnesses:

K. M. NICoLns, F. I). KERN. 

